Thirty Latino/Latina Vietnam-era
war resisters, conscientious objectors, veterans and peace activists
issued a statement May 16 hailing Paredes
and others in the military for “speaking out against the immorality” of
the Iraq war.
“They have shown great courage and remind
us that a commitment to the truth and to their own humanity is more
important than blind obedience,” the statement said.
Signer Rosalio Muñoz, a Vietnam draft
resister who chaired the 1970 National Chicano Moratorium, told the World,
“Public opinion and pressure reduced the sentence for Paredes, but we need
more.”
The statement called for Paredes to be
granted conscientious objector status and an honorable discharge. The Navy
has denied his CO application, but he is appealing.
Other signers include legendary farm
worker leader Dolores Huerta; Chicago education worker Sijisfredo Aviles,
who served three years in jail for refusing induction in 1968; Hilda
Jenson (Reyes), who was a teenage organizer for the Brown Berets and the
Chicano Moratorium against the Vietnam War; Chicano studies professor
Jorge Mariscal who served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam; and documentary
filmmaker Jesus Treviño, a conscientious objector in 1968.
The stand taken by Paredes, the son of
immigrants from Ecuador and Puerto Rico, has struck a chord in Puerto
Rico. The Committee to Support Pablo Paredes held a rally in San Juan May
11 “in support of our Puerto Rican brother.” The coalition includes the
Puerto Rican Bar Association’s Constitutional and Human Rights Commission;
Puerto Rican Federation of Workers; Federation of Labor of Puerto
Rico-AFL-CIO; and religious, peace, civil liberties and student groups.
As draft resisters and
conscientious objectors who a generation ago refused to participate in the
illegal U.S. war in Southeast Asia and as veterans and activists who
fought in that war or fought to stop it, we send greetings of solidarity
to Camilo Mejia, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, and all other Latino and
Latina veterans and active duty personnel who understand that the U.S.
presence in Iraq is a crime against humanity. By speaking out against the
immorality of the present conflict, they have shown great courage and
remind us that a commitment to the truth and to their own humanity is more
important than blind obedience.
Last week Navy Petty Office
Third Class Pablo Paredes was found guilty of refusing to board his ship
bound to carry three thousand Marines to the combat zone. Like former Army
sergeant Mejia who spent nine months in prison for refusing to return to
Iraq, Paredes faced up to a year of incarceration. Although Paredes
received a much lighter sentence without confinement, we believe he should
immediately be granted conscientious objector status and an honorable
discharge.
Excerpt from
Peoples Daily World article by Susan Webb
IN SOLIDARITY WITH
OUR LATINO BROTHERS AND SISTERS
We express our support
for all Latina and Latino active duty personnel who are struggling to
survive their tour of duty and return to their families. History has
taught us that these tribulations shall pass, and though it may take
decades the true criminals that planned the invasion and occupation of
Iraq will be judged harshly by future generations.
The U.S. war in Iraq
shares with the U.S. war in Viet Nam a foundation of lies and deceit
perpetrated by politicians in Washington, D.C. Like the war in Southeast
Asia, the Iraq conflict has taken its greatest toll on working class
families whose sons and daughters are seeing their noble intentions
exploited and their dreams destroyed by an unjust war. Like Viet Nam, Iraq
is sacrificing thousands of its innocent citizens to senseless and
unchecked violence.
And so we stand with
Camilo Mejia,
Aidan Delgado,
Pablo Paredes, and other brave
young men and women to declare as we did over thirty years ago, "Ya basta,
we've had enough. ÁNo a la guerra! Y Áque viva la raza humana!"
Carl Wood (conscientious objector, 1966)
Phillip H. Ram (conscientious objector status denied/refused induction,
1967)
Ernesto Vigil (refused induction, 1968)
Sijisfredo Avilés (refused induction, 1968)
Jesús Treviño (conscientious objector, 1968)
Rosalío Muñoz (refused induction September 16,1969)
Latino veterans who served in Viet Nam:
Daniel Cano (U.S. Army, 1966-1969)
Jorge Mariscal, Ph.D. (U.S. Army, 1968-1970)
Charley Trujillo (U.S. Army, 1968-1970)
Latino Viet Nam-era veterans:
Carlos Muñoz, Jr., Ph.D.
Gilberto Sánchez "Magu" Luján
Vincent C. de Baca, Ph.D. (USMC, 1972-74)
Latina and Latino peace activists during the Viet Nam war period:
Dolores Huerta
Elizabeth Betita Martinez
Fr. Juan Romero
Roberto Elias
Ana Celia Zentella, Ph.D.
Guillermo Bejarano
Armando Rendón
Hilda Jenson (Reyes)
Juan López
Dorinda Guadalupe Moreno
Rafael Jesús González
María Blanco, Esq.
Viviana Aparicio-Chamberlin
Erminio Gonzales
Rudy Tovar (WWII veteran, Phillipine Islands)
Rosaura Sánchez, Ph.D.
Antonio H. Rodriguez
Beatrice Pita, Ph.D.